Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Cuajimalpa

For one person, living is cheaper in Cuajimalpa: $1,141 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $18,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,698
/mo nomad
Cuajimalpa
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,141
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Cuajimalpa

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Cuajimalpa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $1,141 in Cuajimalpa.

  • Austin, TX $2,698
  • Cuajimalpa $1,141

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $1,827 in Cuajimalpa.

  • Austin, TX $4,160
  • Cuajimalpa $1,827

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $2,514 in Cuajimalpa.

  • Austin, TX $5,622
  • Cuajimalpa $2,514

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 136% more expensive than in Cuajimalpa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 99% above, Cuajimalpa is 16% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Cuajimalpa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.63 $20.63
$10.81 MX$200
90.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$43.13 MX$797
96.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.07 $12.07
$8.35 MX$154
44.55%
Cappuccino
$5.48 $5.48
$3.60 MX$66.6
52.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 $3.80
$1.40 MX$25.87
171.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 $2.47
$1.06 MX$19.50
133.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$2.52 MX$46.60
219.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.88 $8.88
$3.96 MX$73.2
124.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Cuajimalpa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 $1.11
$1.58 MX$29.16
-29.75%
White Bread (500g)
$3.72 $3.72
$2.64 MX$48.81
40.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.37 $3.37
$1.70 MX$31.34
98.24%
Eggs
$4.32 $4.32
$2.46 MX$45.39
75.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.13 $13.13
$8.08 MX$149
62.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.15 $14.15
$8.10 MX$150
74.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.33 $16.33
$11.30 MX$209
44.51%
Apples (1kg)
$4.55 $4.55
$2.79 MX$51.5
63.08%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.51 MX$27.83
-3.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.71 $4.71
$1.86 MX$34.44
153.23%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.15 $4.15
$1.81 MX$33.42
129.28%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$2.00 MX$36.89
29.00%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$1.91 MX$35.21
23.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.77 $1.77
$1.43 MX$26.42
23.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.14 $2.14
$1.12 MX$20.79
91.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.10 $10.10
$4.44 MX$82.1
127.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.19 $15.19
$10.50 MX$194
44.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.82 $2.82
$1.79 MX$33.13
57.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.44 $3.44
$3.18 MX$58.8
8.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Cuajimalpa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.54 $1.54
$0.69 MX$12.73
123.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.99 $40.99
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.80 $2.80
$2.62 MX$48.32
6.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.60 $1.60
$2.01 MX$37.15
-20.40%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.34 $34.34
$10.91 MX$202
214.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.94 $0.94
$1.44 MX$26.64
-34.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.0K $34.0K
$20.9K MX$386.5K
62.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K $26.8K
$24.3K MX$448.9K
10.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Cuajimalpa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$223 $223
$57.5 MX$1,063
287.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.9 $58.9
$22.78 MX$421
158.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.6 $70.6
$29.83 MX$551
136.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Cuajimalpa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.7 $57.7
$34.34 MX$635
68.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.53 $16.53
$20.21 MX$373
-18.21%
Cinema Ticket
$14.26 $14.26
$5.31 MX$98.1
168.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Cuajimalpa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,511 $1,511
$223 MX$4,122
577.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.9K $20.9K
$4,649 MX$85.9K
349.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Cuajimalpa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.3 $51.3
$54.5 MX$1,008
-6.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.17 $44.17
$41.13 MX$760
7.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.0 $87.0
$101 MX$1,863
-13.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 $104
$88.6 MX$1,636
17.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Cuajimalpa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,940 $1,940
$600 MX$11.1K
223.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,316 $1,316
$395 MX$7,290
233.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$1,021 MX$18.9K
259.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,565 $2,565
$764 MX$14.1K
235.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,354 $7,354
$1,905 MX$35.2K
285.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,129 $3,129
$1,154 MX$21.3K
171.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Cuajimalpa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,286 $5,286
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
11.3
-39.91%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Cuajimalpa: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Cuajimalpa
$395 70% $922
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$406
Cuajimalpa
$262 35.4% $144
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$352
Cuajimalpa
$110 68.7% $242
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$350
Cuajimalpa
$185 47.1% $165
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$129
Cuajimalpa
$128 0.6% $0.8
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Cuajimalpa
$45 47.9% $41
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$58
Cuajimalpa
$15 * 73.4% $43

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $600 in Cuajimalpa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $43.00 in Cuajimalpa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $262 per month, with Cuajimalpa cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇲🇽 Cuajimalpa
🕒 Local time
09:35 9:35 AM
08:35 8:35 AM
1 h behind Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
217,686
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Cuajimalpa 1,220 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Cuajimalpa

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Austin, TX vs Cuajimalpa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Cuajimalpa?
Cuajimalpa wins on cost – living expenses run 136% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cuajimalpa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Austin, TX and in Cuajimalpa?
You'd need roughly $4,046 in Austin, TX and $1,711 in Cuajimalpa to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Austin, TX compared to Cuajimalpa?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $600 in Cuajimalpa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Austin, TX and in Cuajimalpa?
Childcare runs $1,511 in Austin, TX versus $223 in Cuajimalpa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Austin, TX and in Cuajimalpa?
Dining out is cheaper in Cuajimalpa – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Austin, TX or in Cuajimalpa?
At $1,141 in Cuajimalpa versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cuajimalpa but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Cuajimalpa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Cuajimalpa?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
How safe is Austin, TX compared to Cuajimalpa?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Cuajimalpa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Cuajimalpa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 136% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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